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- A selection of achievements: the Russian Federation is creating a military shooter with a virtual museum of its
A selection of achievements: the Russian Federation is creating a military shooter with a virtual museum of its
The new tactical shooter "Homeland awaits" from the creators of the game "Squad 22: ZOV" will be released in 2027, Izvestia has learned. One of the components of the product will be a digital museum in the form of a mobile application. The authors showed the first concept illustrations and announced that the large-scale game will receive a trial version in the first half of 2026. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
The second game is about YOUR
The Motherland Awaits project, which is under development, is positioned as a large-scale interactive game dedicated to the events of a special military operation (SVO). The team is currently finalizing the final game design document and terms of reference, having begun prototyping individual mechanics. The full version is scheduled to be released in early 2027, with a demo planned to be presented in the first half of 2026.
The key difference between "Homeland Awaits" and the studio's previous project, "Squad 22: ZOV", is the transition from niche hardcore tactical micromanagement to more accessible tactical action. The new game is designed for a wide range of players, it retains tactical elements (active pause, squad management) and simplified automation of actions. This will reduce manual management, making the process more dynamic but maintaining strategic depth.
The plot of the game, as the developers emphasize, will be its main advantage. This is a multi-layered story written by professional screenwriters, with an emphasis on the personal fates of the characters, each of whom has his own line of development. Unlike its predecessor, all available fighters are real people, whose prototypes are personally coordinated with them. This decision, according to the authors, helps to perpetuate the memory of the exploits of the participants of the SVO.
The gameplay will be optimized for mobile devices, with the possibility of porting to a PC. On smartphones, developers will simplify the control mechanics: instead of manually setting each action, the player will set goals, and the fighters will perform them automatically. Various viewing angles are also provided, from a tactical map to first—person views of a soldier or a reconnaissance UAV, which will expand the possibilities of analyzing the situation on the battlefield.
— "Squad 22" faced criticism, but this, according to the developers, did not prevent it from gaining popularity. With Homeland Awaits, the team plans to openly declare support for the Russian army, which may attract the attention of a wide audience. Steam, as the experience of the previous project has shown, can remove the locks if the game does not violate the laws of the countries of distribution," said Alexander Tolkach, head of the Rodina Waiting developer studio.
As in the case of the "Squad", the developers got access to materials and interviews with the participants of their OWN, which will allow them to create an authentic story.
The project also involves the launch of the Companion mobile application, a digital museum integrated with the game. It will contain archival materials, the history of technology and events, complementing the experience with educational and analytical content.
— Creating games about SVO is part of our mission. Games like "Homeland Awaits" help to form truthful narratives that resist stereotypes, and perpetuate the memory of the exploits of ITS participants," added Alexander Tolkach.
According to the authors, the audience's response to the previous project was mixed but positive. "Squad 22" became not only commercially successful, but also inspired other studios to work on projects about THEIR OWN. Gamers, including the fighters themselves, expressed gratitude for making their stories part of the game world.
"The Motherland is Waiting" is an attempt to combine entertainment and education, tell an important story to a wide audience and contribute to the information front, Alexander Tolkach believes. Despite the expected difficulties, the team is confident in the success of the project, which, in their opinion, will find its audience both in Russia and abroad.
How "Homeland awaits" can interest players
The developers of Rodina, represented by SPN (a special purpose studio), demonstrate not just a game release plan, but a full-fledged media strategy. They realized that their first game was too complicated for their ideological goals, and now they are making a smart turn towards the mass mobile market, says Kirill Kopytin, a lecturer at the Department of Esports at the Faculty of Gaming Industry and Esports at Synergy University.
According to the speaker, the main challenge will be balance. Will the authors be able to make a game that is both interesting as a game and effective as a tool for communicating ideas? Too much bias towards propaganda can kill gameplay and scare away even a loyal audience.
— This is a very ambitious plan. The success of Rodina will depend not so much on graphics or tactical depth, but on whether the scriptwriters and game designers will find the golden mean that will allow them to tell the story without turning the game into an interactive lecture," Kirill Kopytin summed up.
Alexander Voskresensky, an expert in the gaming industry, believes that in case of a shortage of funding, large-scale plans will have to be abandoned and limited to the sequel "Squad 22: ZOV". As a similar story, he refers to the experience of the Russ vs Lizards series, the first part of which became a phenomenon, and the second passed without much attention from gamers.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
